Carrying system



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

Z. S. HOLBROOK.

CARRYING SYSTEM.

No. 282,319. Patented July 31. 1883.

Pnglii u. PETERS. Fholo-lino'gnpmr. wlsmn m. n.0,

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

. HOLBROOK.

RYING SYSTEM. N0. 28Z,319. Patented July 31. 1883.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIGE.

ZEPHANIAH s. HOLBROOK, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

CARRYING SYSTEM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 282,319, dated July 31, 1883. Application filed January 3, 1883. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, ZEPHANIAH S. HOLBROOK, of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in GarryingSystems; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to carrying systems having ways extending between several subordinate stations and a main station or cashier s desk and carriers adapted to move on said' ways, in which the cash or article to be conveyed is placed. Its object is toprovide a means for discharging the carriers from the way at any station desired, which means may be operated or controlled either from a main station or any or either of the subordinate stations on the way; and itconsists in matters hereinafter set forth, and pointed out in the claims. I preferably use for the purpose stated electrical connections between the main station nected in themanner stated to all of the other stations, so that a person at any station may andthe several discharging devices at the sub= ordinatestation's; but the same result may be accomplished by longitudinally-movable wires,

connecting the several discharging devices at the subordinate stations with the main station, or other mechanical means. ,The main station mentioned maybe a cashiers desk at one end of the way, as in a store-service system, or it may be one of the or by pneumatic tubes intermediate stations on the way; or the discharging devices at each station may be concontrol=the discharge of carriers sent from such station at all of the other stations on the way. As a means of operatingthe discharging devices at the several subordinate stations, as described, I have provided at each of said stations an electro-magnet, which is connected by suitable conductors with an electric battery, and a key for closing the circuit,

.placed at the main station. Thesaid electromagnet is arranged so that upon the passage of an electric current it will operate upon an armature attached to a detent-lever which holds a switch or other discharging device.

, normally in position for the passage of the carriers to stations beyond, but which, when drawn back by said electro-magnet, releases the switch and allows the discharge of the carrier.

I have found it convenient to illustrate my invention as applied to a carrying system for store service, having oppositely-inclined ways extending from the cashiers desk past the several salesmen s stations, spherical rolling carriers adapted to move by gravity on such ways, and vertically-moving switches or traps for discharging the said carriers from the ways at the several salesmens stations.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a side elevation of two oppositely-inclined ways, showing a cashiers station, three intermediate stations 011 the ways, and a diagram of the electrical connections for operating the discharging devices from the cashiers desk. Fig. 2 isa plan View of the same, the electrical connections being shown separate from the ways, in the manner of a diagram, in order to illustrate the operation of such devices more clearly. Fig. 3 is a plan view of one of the switches 011 the return-way, showing the discharging devices in detail. Fig. 4 is a perspectiveview of the discharging devices. Fig.

5 is a transverse section on line as m of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is aplan view of a portion of the way, declining from the cashiers desk to the salesmens stations, showing means for discharging the carriers from said way by mechanical con nections. Fig. 7 is. a detail .view of the devices at one of the switches shown in Fig. 6.

As illustrated in the drawings, A is the way leading from the cashier s desk or central station to the salesmens stations, which is inclined, so that the carriers will move thereon by gravity; and B is a similar track declining from the salesmen sstations to the central station. These ways are constructed ina wellknown manner, and are composed of two rails or tracks, which are adapted to support hollow spherical carriers 0. g

The carriers maybe placed on the way B, at any, of the salesmens stations, for transmission to the cashiers desk either by the hand, or, if the track is elevated, by any of the wellknown means for raising the carrier to said track. 7 The carriers are returned to the salesmen bybeing placed upon the way A, upon which, ateach station, are placed verticallyswinging switches D, adapted to open by the weight of a carrier, and allow it to fall into a receptacle, E, placed beneath it, and in position convenient to the salesman.

The switches D are held by a locking device composed of a catch, d, and a spring detent-lever, F, in a closed position, so as to make the track continuous, and allow carriers moving on the way to pass unobstructedly over such switch to stations beyond. The said detent-lever is attached at one end to the end of a leaf-spring, F, which is secured at its opposite extremity to a bracket or standard, F", upon the track structure. The opposite end of the lever F slides in a groove in a guidepiece, f, also attached to the track structure.

In order to discharge a carrier returning from the cashiers desk at the proper station from which it was sent, I have provided an electromagnet, G, at each switch, having its poles placed opposite an armature, G, attached to the detent-lever F. The said electro-inagnet is connected by means of wires 9 with a suitable battery, II, and a key, I, upon the cashiers desk, by which key an electric circuit may be completed and a current passed through the electro-magnet, thereby drawing the detent-arm F back and releasing the switch. In order to hold the detent-lever F back, soas to keep the switch unlocked until a carrier approaching from the cashiers desk may reach it, and to render it unnecessary to keep the key I pressed down, so as to make the current through the electro-magnet continuous for this purpose, I have provided a spring-detent, f, which is attached to the top of the switch, as shown. Said detent f is adapted by means of an inclined projection, f, on its upper surface, near its free end, to engage the lever F when said lever is drawn back, and hold it out of. engagement with the catch d until the carrier reaches the switch and is discharged from the track. When the switch opens, the detent f descends with it, and the lever F will be released and return to its normal position, in readiness to engage the catch (1 and lock the switch when it closes.

It will be seen that by the use of the springdetent f it is only necessary to pass an instantaneous current through the electro-magnets to draw the detent-lever F back, and it will then be held by the said detent until the carrier is discharged. The said switch is so balanced on its pivot that it will instantly return to its normal position, and lock itself automatically after the discharge of the carrier, and will be in position for the passage of another carrier over it, or for being opened by another carrier sent to the same station.

In Figs. 6 and 7, I have shown another means of unlocking the switches from the cashiers desk, which may be used instead of the devicesoperated by electricity described. Such means consist of wires K, extending from each station to the cashier s desk, which wires are attached at one end to the arm L of a springdetent, F, which is kept normally in engagement with a catch, (1, on the switch D by means of a spring, L The said wires are suitably supported, so as to allow a longitudinal movement thereof, and at the cashiers desk are attached to separate knobs 7c. The cashier, by moving the proper knob, may open any desired switch and discharge the carrier in the manner before described. A spring-detent, Z, is also used in the device last described, whereby the detent-lever F will be held back and the switch remain unlocked until the carriers are delivered from the way, when the switch will swing back and lock itself automatically. Other mechanical means connecting the cashiers desk with the several stations can manifestly be used to attain the same results, such as pneumatic tubes, as before stated.

The electro-magnets G, or the mechanical de vices described, may be used to operate a horizontally-acting switch, or any other device for discharging the carriers from the way. The said devices may also be used for the purpose of operating a switch for directing carriers from a main to a branch way, so that carriers moving from a central station may be caused by a person at such central station to pass from the main way to a branch way, or to any one of a number of branch ways, as desired.

The electrical or other connections described, instead of extending from the several stations on the way to a cashier s desk or station at one end thereof, may extend to anyof the intermediate stations on the line, and such station will thus correspond with the cashiers desk or central station referred to in the above description.

IOC

By having each station on the way in the carrying system described connected with all the other stations, either by suitable mechan ical devices or electrical conductors for oper ating the delivering devices, a person at any station may control the delivery of carriers at all the stations on the way, and each station will thus become a central stationsuch as has been previously describedfor the purpose t of transferring carriers to or receiving them from the other stations.

I claim 1. In a carrying system, the combination, with the carrier-way, of mechanism for delivering the moving .carriers from said way, and means communicating with a remote point, whereby such delivering mechanism may be operated from such remote point, substantially as described.

2. In a carrying system embracing main and subordinate stations, the combination, with a way, of mechanism for delivering the moving carriers from said way at their appropriate subordinate stations, and means communicating with the main station, whereby the several delivering mechanisms may be operated from the said main station, substantially as described.

3. In a carrying system, the combination, with a carrier-way, of means operated by electricity for delivering the carriers from said way, substantially as described.

i. In a carrying system, the combination, with a carrienway, of means located at several stations for delivering the carriers, and suit- .nIS

able electric devices for operating said delivering mechanisms, so connected that the deliv or points, substantially asdescribed.

6. In a carrying system, the combination, with a way, of a pivoted switch, a catch, (2, a detent-lever, F, and an electro-magnet, G, the

latter arranged in a circuit with a suitable battery, and a key at the cashier s desk, whereby 20 the switch may be unlocked, substantially as and for the purpose set forth. 7 I

7. In a carrier system, the combination, with a switch provided with a catch, (1, of a detentlevel-,1, means for withdrawing the said le- 2 5 ver F from engagement with the catch 61, and a spring-detent, f, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I affix my signature in presence of 0 two witnesses.

ZEPHANIAH S. HOLBROOK.

Witnesses:

O. CLARENCE POOLE J Essn 00X, Jr. 

